Chapter 655

Gao Jilin tried to ask: "Brother He, do you have any enemies in Lingxu City?"

"I do." He Lingchuan let out a long sigh. "Many, and every one of them wishes they could take my life."

The crowd was puzzled.

He Lingchuan summoned the waiter again and said to him: "Order four good dishes for me and send them to the table of the four people at the door."

The waiter complied and left.

At this moment, a few people descended the stairs on the second floor, all dressed in brocade. One of them swept his gaze across the room and immediately fixed it on He Lingchuan.

He walked over quickly and patted He Lingchuan on the shoulder: "He Xiao! Why are you here?"

His voice wasn't particularly loud, but it ensured that the two or three circles of people around could hear clearly, and the smile on his face was especially sincere.

He Lingchuan's hand paused.

How could he run into Fang Canran everywhere he went? His "real name" had been blurted out, so he could only smile awkwardly: "Just finding some friends to drink with. Why is Chief Manager Fang here?"

"Just came down from dining with some clients and am going to Taoli Pool to loosen up my bones. Do you want to come along?"

Taoli Pool was a perfume shop that, besides bathing, also provided a one-stop service of haircuts, shaves, and massages. Because it was opened next to the Imperial Academy, it was named "Taoli" (Peaches and Plums).

During their conversation, the surroundings suddenly went quiet.

Hearing the name "He Xiao," everyone stopped talking.

He Lingchuan saw the change in the gazes of the crowd and could only smile bitterly: "No need, I still have things to do. You all go ahead and have fun."

Fang Canran was incredibly sharp and immediately sensed the subtle change in the lobby.

Jiang Tao couldn't help but say: "He Xiao? You said his name is He Xiao?"

Fang Canran seemed taken aback, looked at the crowd and then at He Lingchuan, but didn't answer, only patted He Lingchuan on the shoulder and gave an apologetic smile: "Sorry! I'm leaving first."

After saying this, he indeed greeted those clients and turned to leave.

But this action was equivalent to giving Jiang Tao a definitive answer.

Before Fang Canran had even walked out of the Xiangman Restaurant, the place erupted with a 'hua'!

"You are He Xiao? That He Xiao?"

"No way, no way, no—way!"

In these past few days, whenever anyone mentioned major events in Lingxu City, who didn't mention He Xiao? Such a renowned figure, who seemed far away, was now right before their eyes?

The first reaction of the crowd was disbelief.

This youth was only seventeen or eighteen; could the Chi Yan special envoy really be this young? One had to know that the students in the Imperial Academy and the academy were already over forty years old.

Look at him, then look at themselves—had they lived their lives in vain? "Didn't he just say he had too many enemies? If he really is He Xiao, then that makes sense."

"Hey, hey, that was just something the person who just walked out said casually! Who is that anyway? Can you believe him?"

Another young noble immediately chimed in: "That person is the Chief Manager of the Jinjiao family, surnamed Fang! Do you know about the Dunyuan Auction? He organizes it every year! I just saw him at the auction a few days ago."

Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz—everyone was talking at once, and no one knew who was picking up whose thread. The whole restaurant was as lively as a ladle of boiling water poured into hot oil, splashing the person involved until he was almost overwhelmed.

Seeing that everyone was talking over each other and missing the point, Du Shan simply stood up, walked to the square table near the door, and asked those Tongxin Guards: "May I ask, he—" he pointed at He Xiao, "is this person really He Xiao, the Chi Yan Nation's special envoy He Xiao?"

The exquisite appetizers gifted by He Lingchuan had just been served by the waiter; the Tongxin Guards looked at He Lingchuan, then at each other, and nodded.

"Then who are you all?"

Several people said in a low voice: "South City, Tongxin Guards."

Their mission was surveillance, not confidentiality.

The words of the Tongxin Guards immediately confirmed He Lingchuan's identity. The guests at Xiangman Restaurant hurriedly looked over here, but unfortunately, He Lingchuan was surrounded in the middle, and the circle of people around him blocked him completely.

Jiang Tao tugged at He Lingchuan's sleeve, raising his volume to express his incredulity: "You really are He Xiao?"

Gao Jilin sighed: "You hid it from us so well!" Previously, when they went up Mount Xushan together, this fellow clearly called himself "He Yun." But the gibbon Old Ge's attitude toward him was different, unusually patient. That was an old thing who fawned on the powerful and trampled on the weak! Now that he thought about it, it all made sense.

He Lingchuan smiled bitterly: "I just wanted to sneak out for a couple of drinks; is that wrong?"

That fellow Fang Canran must have done it on purpose! "He admitted it, he admitted it!" Jiang Tao waved his hands at the crowd. "Alright, alright, don't argue, ask one by one! Don't let people think the Imperial Academy only has a bunch of rabble."

He roared at the top of his lungs, and the sound wave in Xiangman Restaurant indeed quieted down.

"I'll go first, Brother He! Is the mastermind behind the Elixir of Immortality case really in the Qinggong?"

He Lingchuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The students were too wild; could they ask such things casually, and could he answer them casually? However, everyone's eyes were burning, clearly very interested in the answer.

"Without evidence, how can I talk nonsense?" He had investigated the first half of the Elixir of Immortality case, and because his identity was special, he dared not speak recklessly.

"What do you think?" Another person asked. "I heard that Cen Boqing was caught precisely because you pursued him relentlessly."

He Lingchuan shook his head: "What I think is not important. Being able to catch Cen Boqing was because both human and material evidence were present. At present, the Qingfu Temple fire has occurred, and the evidence related to the case is incomplete."

Wang Mao also asked: "I heard that Lady Cen rushed to Baishajue and brought a witness with her, wanting to reduce her husband's sentence—is that true?"

He Lingchuan only said: "Brother Wang's sources are truly well-informed."

Everyone understood.

Gao Jilin also joined the fun: "Is it true that all clues to the Elixir of Immortality case have been broken so far?"

"The case has been taken over by Chief Inspector Bai; I have no right to participate, and only he knows the details best." He Lingchuan grabbed his wine glass and moistened his throat. When becoming the focus of everyone's attention, one must never be smug, but rather light and breezy.

"During the investigation, details will not be disclosed so as not to affect the follow-up."

One also had to speak in official jargon appropriately.

Seeing everyone surrounding this youth, talking one after another, Zheng Zewu didn't say a word.

He had just recovered from his shock.

Seventeen or eighteen, famous throughout Lingxu. This was a goal that countless students strove for, right?

To become famous overnight—heh, how could it be that easy? Lingxu City was so big, with countless talented individuals, yet in this vast ocean, one couldn't even stir up a ripple.

Ten years of study without anyone asking—that was the norm! The youth before him had already swum several laps in the capital's officialdom, riding the waves, and how many noble families were willing to throw olive branches at him, both openly and secretly?

His life was set; as long as his ability kept up with his fame, his rise to prominence was just around the corner.

But what about him, Zheng Zewu? He was just the top of one spring examination at the Imperial Academy, and he was already smug.

His heart felt empty, and the feeling was indescribable.

Du Shan took a sip of Qinxiang Spring with his glass and suddenly said: "He Xiao, how are you still alive?"

The voice wasn't loud, but the content was sharp.

The volume of the surrounding people's discussion lowered immediately.

That's right, how did this He Xiao make a name for himself in Lingxu City? Besides achieving results in the Elixir of Immortality case, the most important thing was that he had been attacked twice in less than a month since arriving in Lingxu City!

How could ordinary people have such treatment, and ordinary people didn't have such danger either.

Counting them up, how many forces had he offended? The Minister of Agriculture, the Zhongsun family, the dark forces that dared to openly blow up the guesthouse, and Crown Prince Huan, who dared to take action in broad daylight—the future successor to the empire! Not to mention the master of the Qinggong. The spearhead of this case pointed directly at the Qinggong.

These giants—at the very least, the students present couldn't afford to offend them, right? Talking was one thing, but real knives and guns were another matter entirely.

Yet He Xiao was still able to sit here, whole and sound, drinking with everyone.

Just as Du Shan said, how did this fellow survive in the undercurrents? Thinking of this, some people didn't envy him anymore.

If fame had to be exchanged for one's life, was it worth it? "Just luck." He Lingchuan said calmly: "During the first guesthouse explosion, I happened to walk out to get something, otherwise I would have died in the guest room. The tables and chairs were also laced with deadly poison, and the official who came in to inspect the fire scene was unfortunately poisoned and almost lost his life."

Gao Jilin wondered: "Why use both poison and an explosion?" A double insurance?

Du Shan shook his head: "I'm afraid there were two groups of people attacking He Xiao at the same time."

He Lingchuan immediately said: "I infer the same."

"Infer?" Jiang Tao was very sharp this time. "Didn't catch them?"

"Never." He Lingchuan smiled bitterly. "The person who used the poison was also silenced. Just like the Elixir of Immortality case, the clues were abruptly broken."

Everyone hissed, their backs feeling cold.

"As for the second time, Crown Prince Huan came to the Pan Shan residence to set a fire, and Crown Prince Yue and I happened to be out, so the servants were the ones who suffered."

Situ He asked first: "Was it instigated by Lady Cen?"

There were many listeners around who didn't know the situation and hadn't understood just now, so they finally asked: "Lady Cen? Which Lady Cen?"

So someone introduced them on the spot.

"Cen Boqing actually has such a big backer?!"

Just like that, He Xiao was still able to take down Cen Boqing—not easy.

"Later, Crown Prince Yue was summoned by the Emperor, and Crown Prince Huan flatly denied that Lady Cen instigated it, claiming he heard palace servants discussing it and couldn't stand it, so he came down personally to teach us a lesson." These were not secrets in high society, and He Lingchuan had no psychological burden saying them.

Wasn't Lingxu City known for freedom of speech?

If students could talk, what could he, a commoner, not talk about? But for the scholars, the first-hand information provided by the person involved was fresh, and they wanted to hear every word.

Du Shan said: "In other words, the masterminds behind the two attacks on you were never found?"

"As far as I know, I haven't heard of anyone being caught."

"They can't be found." Du Shan said very directly. "If they were really found, there would be an explanation for you, but it wouldn't be good for others. Rather than that, it's better to wrong you a little."

Offend the powerful or offend the commoner? This question didn't even need to be chosen.

Immediately, someone felt indignant for He Lingchuan.

Zheng Zewu couldn't help but say: "If that's really the case, where is the dignity of Lingxu?"

Actually, everyone knew he wanted to say, where is the dignity of the Emperor and the Lingxiao Palace?

Thanks to Zhong Zili for the support!

(End of chapter)